PS 20 Dolphin Tales
Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School Newsletter
*******************January Newsletter******************
CORE VALUES: Safety, Responsibility, Empathy, Respect, Encouragement, Community
MOTTO:"Be Safe, Live Responsibly, Understand, Respect, and Encourage Each Other"
Principal: Mr. Hani Ileya
Assistant Principal: Dr. Courtney Campbell
January's PS 20 Character Student of the Month: Amani Cooper
Congratulations to fifth grade student Amani Cooper for being chosen as PS 20's Character Student of the Month! Amani truly displays our school's core values of Safety, Responsibility, Empathy, Respect, Encouragement, and Community during her everyday presence!
January 15, 2026: PS 20 School-Level Spelling Bee
Grades 3-5 held their classroom-level spelling bees in December, in which one student from each class was chosen to represent their classrooms in the school-level spelling bee. The 12 representatives did an amazing job going head-to-head with each other on January 15, 2026! We are proud of their incredible spelling skills!
Ultimately, we would like to congratulate our third place winner Jayden Reyes (fifth grade), our second place winner Arsal Farooq (fifth grade), and our first place winner Jacob Garcia (fifth grade)!
Jacob will now represent our school in the Scripps County Spelling Bee, which will be held in the Hudson County School of Technology in Secaucus, NJ on February 7, 2026. Jacob will also represent our school at the Jersey City Public Schools District Spelling Bee on March 28, 2026. Congratulations and best of luck to Jacob in the upcoming bees!
Jacob Garcia-First Place
Arsal Farooq--Second Place
Jayden Reyes--Third Place
January 13, 2026: District Science Fair at Liberty Science Center
Congratulations to the winners of the PS 20 School Science Fair! These three students also represented our school by displaying their projects during the District Science Fair at the Liberty Science Center. We are very proud of you-----way to go!
First Place: Kailey Boyce
Second Place: Amora Sessoms
Third Place: Aaliyah Ashley
PS 20 Wheel of Dolphin Assembly
Our students continued to review school rules and procedures during this assembly. Selected students earned Dolphin Dollars as a reward for kind acts, and even won prizes from spinning the Wheel of Dolphin!
January 23, 2026: Dance China Assembly
This assembly introduced Chinese culture and used a diverse and authentic selection of dance, costumes, music, artifacts, and historical information to immerse students in China’s ancient and vibrant culture. Students witnessed beloved Chinese folk art pieces with Dance China New York, including a mischievous lion dance, an interactive kung fu or dance demonstration, and the signature Red Ribbon Dance.
PS 20 Celebrates Muslim Heritage Month with Classroom Crafts and Activities!
*******************Activities Corner****************
Room 140: Mrs. Postle and Mrs. Castoire's Pre-K Class
Students in Room 140 found letters and numbers using magnetic wands!
Room 244: Ms. Giardino's Second Grade Class
In the Science Activity Mystery Mapmaker, students identified different land and water features based on their shapes. Then they use those landmarks to complete a map and locate a treasure of their very own!
Room 351: Ms. Thompson's Third Grade Class
This month, the students are creating Gratitude Jars as a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day by spreading kindness. They are reflecting on the people, moments, and small joys they are thankful for, reminding us that love and gratitude go hand in hand!
Room 345: Ms. Gordon's Fifth Grade Class
We are so proud of Sofiya Rodriguez from Ms. Gordon's class for singing the National Anthem at the Board of Education meeting! She represented our school beautifully-- with confidence, poise, and an amazing voice. What an incredible accomplishment!
Upcoming Events and Reminders
February 11, 2026: In-Person Report Card Conferences- 1:30-3:00pm---Half Day Schedule
for Students: 12:45 Dismissal
February 16, 2026: Presidents' Day--No School
February 18, 2025: 100th Day of School
MATH CORNER: K-5 Math Savvas Parent Homework Help:
Please use the following link to help your child with homework via grade level and topic!
About Us:
Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School
239 Ocean Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07305
201-369-2630
Facebook/Instagram: @Dr.MayaAngelouPS20JC
Website: www.ps20.jcboe.org